Category: National News

According to new research by the Williams Institute, 1.4 Million people in the United States identify as transgender, doubling previous estimates. This is 0.6% of the U.S. population, as opposed to previous estimates of 0.3% Utilizing data from the 2014 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), which includes representative state-level…

The NCAA has set new requirements for cities bidding to host NCAA events in all of its divisions. Cities must have anti-discrimination laws and must show that their environment are welcome and safe for all players and spectators. The new requirements may affect cities that have already been awarded bids…

A collection of trending news stories we shared in social media in the past week. The New “Stonewall” Film Treats Trans People Like Inspirational Sidekicks ‘Stonewall’ fails to give the gay rights watershed the stirring film it deserves TIFF Review: Roland Emmerich’s Gay Rights Drama ‘Stonewall’ ‘Stonewall’: TIFF Review Toronto…

After intense advocacy from LGBT groups, the Department of Health and Human Services has proposed a policy change that will allow transgender and gender diverse people the ability to pursue gender-confirming medical care free of discrimination. National Center for Transgender Equality: New Proposed Federal Rules Will Help End Health Insurance…

FORGE, Inc. is calling for submissions to the upcoming Home: Domestic Violence In The Transgender Community anthology. The organization’s goal hopes to compile a rich and varied selection of materials that brings intimate partner violence (IPV) in the trans community to light through: opening up the discussion; giving people involved…

An ESPY Award (short for Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly Award) is an accolade presented by the American cable television network ESPN to recognize individual and team athletic achievement and other sports-related performance during the calendar year preceding a given annual ceremony. The first ESPYs were awarded in 1993. Because…

From Buzzfeed: Now, a team of researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, is gearing up for what may prove to be the largest national study of LGBT health ever — and it’s using the iPhone to do it. Dubbed The PRIDE Study, the effort will use an iPhone…

From National Center for Lesbian Rights: U.S. Department of Justice Affirms Title IX Protection for Transgender Students (Washington, DC, June 30, 2015)—Today, the Department of Justice affirmed that Title IX protects the right of transgender students to use the restroom that matches their gender identity. Earlier this month, G.G., a…

From kuow.org: When Do Kids Know They’re Transgender? Younger Than You’d Think When Kristina Olson, a psychology professor at the University of Washington, started looking into research on transgender children, she was surprised. It was thin at best. Data from decades ago said that 80 percent of transgender kids revert…

From BuzzFeed: Feds To Lift Ban On Federal Employee Insurance Coverage Of Sex-Reassignment Surgery WASHINGTON — The federal government is telling insurers Friday that they can now provide transgender people with coverage for transition-related care — including sex-reassignment surgery — in federal employee health care plans, BuzzFeed has learned. Two…

Sydney Lucas sings “Ring of Keys” (from the Tesori/Kron musical FUN HOME, based on the graphic novel by Allison Bechdel) at the 69th Annual Tony Awards on June 7th. The Daily Beast: Meet the Alisons: How Three Women Helped ‘Fun Home’ Conquer Broadway Beth: It’s about you and your dad.…

USA Today: National pilot program to train doctors in transgender health LOUISVILLE – As Caitlyn Jenner’s transition to a woman brings transgender issues to the public forefront, a national pilot program is launching here to address this population’s private struggles in the medical world. Beginning in August, the University of…

On Thursday of last week, the U.S. Air Force announce a change in its policy for transgender service members – to be removed from service, a decision must be made at a higher level of authority than previously, and gender dysphoria is no longer an immediate grounds for being removed…

From Media Matters: 17 School Districts Debunk Right-Wing Lies About Protections For Transgender Students Several States Have Adopted Non-Discrimination Laws To Protect Transgender Students. States across the country have adopted laws that prohibit discrimination on the basis of gender identity and sexual orientation in public schools. [National Center for Transgender…

From National Center for Transgender Equality: New OSHA Guide to Restroom Access for Transgender Employees ​The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced new guidelines today to ensure that all employees have access to restrooms that correspond to their gender identity. OSHA’s “Guide to Restroom Access for Transgender Workers” follows…

From the National Center for Transgender Equality: Jobs Programs Across the Country Get Guidance on LGBT Protections The Department of Labor (DOL) Employment and Training Administration issued a Training and Employment Guidance Letter last week to ensure that LGBT workers and students have equal access to the wide range of…

From Vanity Fair: Shot by Annie Leibovitz, the Vanity Fair cover features the first photo of Caitlyn Jenner, formerly known as Bruce. Watch a behind-the-scenes video of Annie Leibovitz’s photo shoot, as Caitlyn discusses how much living fully as a woman means to her.

Trans Lifeline is a suicide prevention hotline (US: 1-877-565-8860 Canada: 1-877-330-6366) Morty Diamond, a graduate student in San Francisco State University’s social work program is studying how suicide crisis lines handle calls from transgender people, and is discovering that a lack of understanding of trans issues could be letting at…

Very good news for trans folks – the U.S. government says that under the Affordable Care Act, health insurance plans cannot code procedures by gender and then deny paying for preventive procedures if the persons seeking care doesn’t “match” the gender coding for that procedure. This has long been an…

Via The New Civil Rights Movement: Supreme Court Affirms New Jersey’s Gay ‘Conversion Therapy’ Ban: The Supreme Court has refused to grant certiorare to a case that challenged a 2013 New Jersey law banning the use of so-called “conversion therapy” on minors. The law was signed by Governor Chris Christie,…

In the summer of 2014, New York City’s Administration for Children’s Services adopted a trans-inclusive standard of care for youth in its foster care and criminal justice systems: Safe & Respected: Children’s Services Releases New Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming (TGNC) Best Practices Guide. The guide features an overview of the…

Indiana is one of a handful of states that does not require gender-confirming surgeries to change your name and gender marker on various legal documents. Hawaii has now introduced legislation hoping to ease those restrictions for its residents as well. via the Seymour, Indiana Trib-Town – Hawaii bill to ease…

Some really good news about the anti-trans “bathroom bills” that would place a bounty on trans people if they use the “wrong” restroom – two more of these bills have died before becoming law. The Advocate: Florida’s Trans Bathroom Bill Dies LGBTQ Nation: Minnesota state Senate shoots down bathroom restrictions…

Trans Lifeline is a crisis line staffed by transgender people for transgender people. We are selling these Iria Villalobos designed t-shirts to help spread the word and help raise money to pay for the cost of running the crisis line. Buy a T-shirt, fund the campaign, raise awareness More about…

Those of us who have been involved in political organizing around LGBT issues have known for many years that Columbus-based business Cummins, which manufactures truck engines, is a vocal supporter of LGBT rights and its own LGBT employees. The Fortune 500 company has testified in the Indiana State Legislature on…

sign up to take the survey here: 2015 U.S. Trans Survey ABOUT THE SURVEY The U.S. Trans Survey is the new name of the largest survey ever devoted to the lives and experiences of trans people. It is the follow up to the groundbreaking National Transgender Discrimination Survey (NTDS), which…

Men’s Fitness magazine’s search for the “Ultimate Guy” to be a cover model is going viral with a happy new twist – trans man and YouTube video star Aydian Dowling is the leading contender in the contest. Dowling documented his transition in a series of YouTube videos over several years…

Via National Center for Transgender Equality: The New Landmark EEOC Ruling Explained: Workers Have Right to Restrooms Based on Identity In a landmark ruling reported last week, the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) ruled that employees have the right to equal access to workplace facilities that are consistent with…

A trans woman in Florida settled her suit with her former employer, Lakeland Eye Clinic, after being fired for transitioning at work. Lakeland agreed to pay Brandi Branson $150,000 in back pay and to implement non-discrimination training for their employees in settling the suit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment…

The Southern Poverty Law Center filed suit on behalf of Tristan Broussard against his former employer, a finance company, after he was fired for not being “in compliance” for their “policies” of dress and presentation. Southern Poverty Law Center: SPLC, allies file suit against Louisiana company for unlawfully firing transgender…

White House Senior Advisor Valerie Jarrett responded to a petition to the White House asking for a ban on conversion therapy with a long post supporting a ban on the controversial and damaging practice, and outlining the view of the Obama Administration on ways to support LGBT youth with safe…

Today, President Obama’s Executive Order Protecting LGBT workers takes effect. Here’s a round-up of some of the news coverage. The White House: Another Step Toward Equality for LGBT Workers Valerie Jarret in the Advocate: Op-ed: Protecting LGBT Workers Means Protecting All Workers Center for American Progress: Infographic: New Employment Protections…

It is terrible that the lives and dignity of trans people are being reduced to discussions about bathrooms and vicious accusations about pedophilia. We should not have to deal with this sort of degrading attack on our self-worth. However, this is an issue we need to refute head on with…

According to NPR: Puberty Suppression Now A Choice For Teens On Medicaid In Oregon Michaela wants to transition from male to female — meaning she doesn’t want to grow an Adam’s apple, facial hair or a heavy male body structure. To stop that process, she now gets an injection once…

After a contentious week, the Indiana State legislature passed and Governor Mike Pence signed into law an amendment to SEA 101, the Religious Freedom Restoration Act which threatened Indiana’s economic future after businesses and cities around the United States declared their intention of boycotting Indiana due to the discriminatory potential…

The Trans 100 seeks to increase visibility for the trans community by recognizing the achievements of trans people each year, and providing an overview of the diversity of the trans community across the United States. Each year, the organization builds a list of 100 noteworthy people who self-identify as trans…

We are forced to dramatically reduce our investment in IN based on our employee's & customer's outrage over the Religious Freedom Bill. — Marc Benioff (@Benioff) March 26, 2015 Today we are canceling all programs that require our customers/employees to travel to Indiana to face discrimination. http://t.co/SvTwyCHxvE — Marc Benioff…

LGBTQ Nation: Carter getting pushback from military leaders over easing ban on transgender service members WASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Ash Carter has gotten pushback from senior military leaders on whether the Pentagon should lift its ban on transgender people serving in the armed forces, according to U.S. officials familiar with…

CNN Films presents “Raising Ryland,” an intimate look at parenting with no strings attached. This short film focuses on the transgender experience as lived by a 6-year-old and his two loving parents. This first-hand account showcases the power of love amid unexpected change. Directed by Sarah Feeley

Several states in the United States and some parts of Canada have recently attempted to create legislation restricting how trans people can use public restrooms in schools and other public places. Lambda Legal: FAQ About Restrooms & What to Do If You’re Hassled Mother Jones has an excellent summary of…

CBS News has an interview with transgender soldier Landon Wilson, who transitioned while in the military and who was honorably discharged in 2013 because the U.S. military still does not accept trans soldiers in it’s ranks. CBS News: Transgender people push for acceptance in military — and beyond In 2011,…

Via Transgender Law Center: (Transgender Law Center) Legal Director Ilona Turner is in Washington, D.C. to testify before the United States Commission on Civil Rights at its first ever hearing on workplace discrimination against LGBT people. Her testimony describes the vast problem of employment discrimination that transgender and gender nonconforming…

Washington Blade: D.C. bill banning conversion therapy for minors becomes law A bill passed unanimously by the D.C. Council in December that bans mental health professionals licensed by the city from performing so-called conversion therapy on minors became law on March 11 after clearing its required review by Congress. The…

Via Think Progress: Allowing Transgender Youth To Transition Improves Their Mental Health, Study Finds A new study has found that when transgender young people are allowed to fully identify with their gender and take steps toward transition, it significantly improves their depression and anxiety. Forty-two patients participated in the study…